ArtBerlin art fair hosted a special project in its 2018’s edition. For the first time, Brazil marked its presence with an exhibition that brought together visual artists from different generations around the concepts of Brazilian identity in a contemporary world, facing challenges regarding race, gender, and sexuality, while still coping with a past of colonization and slavery.

Brazil has a very dynamic art market. There are more than 800 art galleries that represent thousands of artists, and around 1.500 visual arts museums. Brazilian art is mainly exported to United States (67%), Switzerland (11,5%), United Kingdom (5,5%), China (3%) and Colombia, with less than 1%.

ArtBerlin and ArtRio fairs have collaborated to expand and improve commercial and cultural exchange between German and Brazilian art markets. The partnership was possible because of the efforts of Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) and Koelnmesse that managed this year’s edition of ArtBerlin.

Art fairs have become an important relationship channel between gallery owners and the global elites that compose their clientele. Participation in art fairs is important not only for sales. Exposure to these events is perceived as fundamental to build a panorama of the market, as well as to exchange information and observe trends.

The growth in the number and importance of fairs as a trade channel for works of art and brand consolidation for the galleries has been one of the main trends in the world art market in the past two decades. It is noteworthy that the successful model of art fairs originated in the 1970s, with Art Basel. Each fair seeks to bring together gallerists who meet the profile of the target audience. Many are focused on contemporary art, such as Art Berlin, while others include works from previous periods, design and even antiques. ArtRio presents contemporary and modern art, besides design.

The global number of art fairs more than tripled from 2000 to the end of 2010, from 55 to 230 in 2016. In 2017 the Global Art Market Report 2018 informed that there were 260. Considering only fairs with at least 20 galleries participants, there was an increase from 108 to 154 between 2006 and 2016, an increase of 71%, according to Artfacts.net. In 2017, fairs accounted for 46% of global sales of galleries and dealers, a 5% increase over 2016.

Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) is the leading think tank in Latin America. For more than 30 years, FGV has had its own technical advisory unit, FGV Projetos, which has supported public, private and third sector institutions in Brazil and abroad to achieve excellence in their administrative and financial management processes or to develop innovative public policies. FGV Europe, based in the German city of Cologne, is the Foundation’s first overseas representation. In cooperation with its partner organisations in Europe and Brazil, FGV Europe produces events and publications to stimulate and enhance bilateral and multilateral exchange and cooperation on issues of mutual interest. FGV has been giving special attention to the cultural sector, which consists of several economic activities, each with its own production chain, all influencing both public and private expenditures.

For all these reasons, FGV proudly presented the exhibition “Perspectives on contemporary Brazilian Art” during Art Berlin, thanks to this wide partnership between the two art fairs, Koelnmesse and FGV, which brought together artworks of nine Brazilian artists. In 2019, we hope German galleries will be presented in ArtRio, strengthening this important cultural and economic exchange.

*SILVIA FINGUERUT – FGV expert for Arts, Culture and Smart Cities